Did you hear something down in the basement? Nobody else is home, and the dog is upstairs. Grumbling about mice, you go down to investigate and find the mess: broken bottles and beer everywhere. You have…glass grenades!
There are a few explanations: too much priming sugar, bottling too early, aggressive infections. But the more important question is what should you do now? It all comes down to figuring out whether you can save the beer or just surrender and clear out the hazard.
A Note of Warning
Bottle bombs are very dangerous. If any bottles have exploded, every bottle in that batch should be treated with care and respect. There’s no way to tell if a given bottle is ready to blow, so whether your intent is to save your beer or dispose of it, you need to wear safety gear and minimize the chance of shrapnel injuring you or anyone else. Put on safety glasses at a minimum, but a face shield is even better. Leather work gloves will protect your hands, and I’d wear a heavy jacket as well. Finally, when you’re working with a bottle, you should either wrap it in a towel or hold it in a canvas bag.